1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to safety and rescue equipment and, more particularly, to floatation devices that also help to spot a person afloat in the water.
Ships and boats sometimes sink or capsize. This can happen anywhere, including at sea, in a lake, or in a harbor. Anywhere there is water there is this risk. People may also fall overboard for any number of reasons and under a wide variety of circumstances. In all such events, people end up in the water. Sometimes, they are conscious when they contact the water and sometimes they are unconscious.
There are two issues that always arise when such an event occurs. The first issue involves attempts at keeping the person alive in the water. Generally, for this to occur their must be floatation assistance of some sort. To this end, all manner of life-jackets, life-vests, ski-belts, and other types of floatation assistance devices have been designed.
The second issue has not had the attention it deserves and that is one of rescue. The person needs to be rescued as soon as possible.
If the water is cold, for example, a speedy rescue can be equally as important as is keeping them afloat.
Hypothermia will soon lower their body temperature and they will die if they are not promptly removed from the cold water. Keeping them afloat may only extend their survival time by a matter of minutes if the water is very cold.
There are other perils that face a person adrift at sea. Sharks pose a very real threat to survival, especially if there is any bleeding occurring or if there is thrashing about in the water.
Often when people fall overboard it is very difficult to spot them in the water. The chop of the waves obscures their presence. They are only visible for a moment at a time, if even that, and only so when all of the waves intermediate the person and boat or ship are at a low point.
Since most water based rescue is attempted by boat this problem is especially acute. The proximity of those in the rescue boat to the water provides a poor (i.e., a low) angle of visibility. This is often well below the xe2x80x9ccritical anglexe2x80x9d for light absorption in water. This means that when one is looking at the water surface at a low angle the water tends to reflect most of the incident light. This produces glare and makes it all the more difficult to spot someone afloat in the water.
If aerial rescue is attempted, such as when a ship sinks, the survivors will be difficult to spot from high and afar and may, in fact, be almost impossible to spot.
Another issue is that when people are on a boat or a ship, they are often sensitive about wearing a life-vest or life-jacket while they are on the boat or ship. They may feel self-conscious. A preferred type of a life-jacket would be highly visible. Therefore, it would be brightly colored and probably bulky. While these attributes would be of benefit to being spotted in the water they make the wearer especially conspicuous while he or she is on board. Consequently, there will be resistance to wearing such a device while on board. If a sudden event, such as falling overboard occurs, it is then too late.
Obviously then, a person would want as visible as possible a life-jacket if they suddenly found themselves in the water, but until that happens they do not want to wear a conspicuous floatation device. This produces a conflict in purpose. A floatation device that is conspicuous in the water and inconspicuous while on board is optimum.
Another problem arises if the person is unconscious when they contact the water. Then they will need automatic floatation assistance as well as assistance to aid in spotting them. They will not be able to accomplish either critical need if they, themselves, are unconscious.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a floatation device that increases the chances of being seen by rescue personnel. It would be especially useful if such a device were automatic in its operation and unobtrusive during normal wear.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Floatation and detection devices are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various type of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,424 to Santangelo, Apr. 28, 1964;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,162 to Elder, Jr., Mar. 16, 1965;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,649 to Sheridan, Jan. 20, 1970;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,882 to Feb. 20, 1973;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,692 to Madeley, Mar. 26, 1974;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,096 to Apr. 15, 1975;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,531 to May 6, 1975;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,561 to Asaro, Sep. 19, 1978;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,881 to Buckle, Feb. 12, 1985;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,677 to Rushing et al., Mar. 28, 1989;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,277 to Parish et al., Nov. 6, 1990;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,977 to Kay et al., Jul. 2, 1991;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,845 to Murphy, Mar. 17, 1992;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,374 to Blanchette, Apr. 6, 1993; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,430 to Crowder et al., May 21, 1996.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices. Furthermore, the above described devices are useful to an understanding of the present invention and are each, therefore, incorporated as a reference into this specification.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a visible floatation device that includes a vest.
It is also an important object of the invention to provide a visible floatation device that includes a vest that automatically inflates.
Another object of the invention is to provide a visible floatation device that is highly visible.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a visible floatation device that includes a lighter than air balloon.
Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a visible floatation device that includes a highly visible lighter than air balloon.
Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a visible floatation device that includes a lighter than air balloon that is highly visible to radar.
Still yet another important object of the invention is to provide a visible floatation device that is relatively inconspicuous when not in use.
Briefly, a visible floatation apparatus that is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has a garment portion that is worn by a user. Preferably the garment portion includes an inflatable vest that inflates, either manually or automatically upon contact with the water and a lighter than air balloon that is also inflated and deployed. Inflation of the balloon is either manually actuated or automatically actuated, as desired. According to a preferred embodiment, the balloon includes a highly radar reflective inner lining or coating material as well as a highly visible external lining or coating that is disposed over the inner lining.